The invention relates to a rearward body structure of a motor vehicle. Certain preferred embodiments of the invention relate to rearward body structure of a motor vehicle, having a vehicle body shell cutout for a tailgate attached to the body structure, which body structure has a roof junction assembly in which a lateral roof side member, a transversely extending roof frame with a hinge connection for the tailgate and a rear column converge, the roof side member, the roof frame and the column respectively having a sheet metal shell construction with at least an exterior wall and an interior wall, said roof junction assembly further having an interior side part with a roof side member extension, a roof frame extension, and a column extension, which roof side member extension and column extension each form the respective interior wall, on which roof frame extension a hinge reinforcement of the hinge connection is fastened.
A rearward body structure of a motor vehicle of the initially mentioned type is known from German Patent Document DE 195 15 979 C2 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,232. The motor vehicle has a body shell cutout for a tailgate which is attached to the body structure by way of a hinge. The body structure itself comprises at least one roof junction in which a lateral roof side member, a transversely extending roof frame and a rear column, here, the D-column, converge. The transversely extending roof frame is situated between two mutually opposite roof junctions and, in addition, in each case, has a hinge connection for the tail gate, which hinge connection is situated close to the roof junctions. Here, the hinge connection is constructed in the form of a mounting surface for a fitting of the tailgate hinge. The roof side member, the roof frame and the rear column are each implemented in a sheet metal shell construction and have at least an exterior wall and an interior wall. The interior wall faces the luggage space or vehicle interior situated below the tailgate. The exterior wall is correspondingly situated above it and may form a portion of the vehicle skin, for example, in the case of the rear column or in the case of the roof side member. The exterior wall of the transversely extending roof frame is covered by a roof plate which is part of the vehicle skin. The roof junction has an interior side part with a roof side member extension, a roof frame extension as well as a column extension, and can, for example, have a T-shaped construction. The interior walls of the roof side member and of the rear column are formed by the corresponding roof side member extension or column extension of the interior side part. The roof frame extension is adjoined by a hinge reinforcement which is connected with the roof frame extension only in one connection section in an overlapping manner.
It is an object of the invention to provide a rearward body structure of the initially mentioned type which has a simple construction.
This object is achieved according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention by providing a rearward body structure of a motor vehicle, having a vehicle body shell cutout for a tailgate attached to the body structure, which body structure has a roof junction assembly in which a lateral roof side member, a transversely extending roof frame with a hinge connection for the tailgate and a rear column converge, the roof side member, the roof frame and the column respectively having a sheet metal shell construction with at least an exterior wall and an interior wall, said roof junction assembly further having an interior side part with a roof side member extension, a roof frame extension, and a column extension, which roof side member extension and column extension each form the respective interior wall, on which roof frame extension a hinge reinforcement of the hinge connection is fastened, wherein the roof frame extension of the interior side part forms a section of the exterior wall of the transversely extending roof frame, wherein the hinge reinforcement is fastened to an interior surface of the roof frame extension, and wherein an interior roof frame part forms the interior wall of the roof frame.
Important advantages achieved by means of the invention are that, while the construction of the structure is simple, a sufficient stiffness is achieved in the area of the roof junction, particularly for the fastening of the tailgate hinge. In particular, the hinge reinforcement can be fastened on the interior surface of the roof frame extension simply by being placed on it. On the whole, the rearward body structure in the area of the roof junction is distinguished by a comparatively small number of sheet metal parts which nevertheless provide the roof junction with a sufficient stiffness.
The stiffness of the rearward body structure is further optimized or its composition is further simplified by means of features described herein and in the claims. For example, a closing part of the transversely extending roof frame can be fastened after the hinge reinforcement was mounted on the interior side part.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.